Drain cover



Oct. 19, 1965 D. J. BOERSMA 3,212,416

DRAIN COVER Filed Jan. 28, 1963 INVENTOR. DONALD J. BoERsMA F BR 5 United States Patent 3,212,416 DRAW COVER Donald J. Boersma, 10404 S. Union St, Chicago, Ill. Filed Jan. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 254,391 2 Claims. (Cl. 94-33) This invention relates generally to covers for drains, sewers, and the like, and more particularly to an improved drain cover having novel means for removably retaining the same in operational position.

The proper insertion, operational retention and maintenance of drain covers presents a plurality of problems which to date have not been satisfactorily solved. This is particularly true in the case of floor drain covers which are subjected to the frequent shock of Weights passing thereover, such as the covers used on the sewer drains found in home basements or on sewer drains located in outside walks or pavements around the home.

Although numerous forms of drain covers have heretofore been suggested, they have invariable been characterized by certain disadvantageous features which have resulted in the virtual non-use thereof. As a result, the majority of floor drains are still being made and covered in the unsatisfactory old-fashioned manner. Thus, for example, when constructing a basement floor, the concrete floor is poured around a vertical drain pipe so that a portion of the pipe projects thereabove. The protruding pipe, which is generally made of metal or tile, is then cut off flush with the concrete floor, and at this stage, the construction of the floor desirably should be completed.

However, the ordinary drain cover comprises the well known circular grate which generally is merely frictionally fitted within the drain opening and supported from beneath by the top edges of the drain pipe. Since the circular grate must of course lie flush with the basement floor it thus becomes necessary to grout out or further out off a portion of the drain pipe exactly equal to the thickness of the grate below the floor level,

The last described additional cutting and fitting operation is not only time consuming and costly, but the stresses of ordinary use invariably result in a Wearing and chipping away of the top edge of the drain pipe and the areas of the floor immediately surrounding the drain. When this occurs, the grate works loose and/ or recedes below the level of the floor. On the other hand, if it is attempted to cement, bolt, or otherwise permanently secure the grate in operation position, removal of the same for purposes of cleaning, maintenance or repair becomes an extremely diflicult task.

It is therefore an important object of this invention to provide an improved drain cover which overcomes all of the disadvantages described hereinabove.

Another object is to afford an improved drain cover of the character described which has novel supporting means whereby the same does not rest upon the top edges of the drain pipe. A related object is to afford such a drain cover which permits the drain pipe to be cut flush with the floor so that the previously described cover fitting operation is no longer required.

A further object is to provide an improved drain cover of the character described which may be simply and readily removed or inserted for purposes of maintenance, cleaning, etc.

Still another object is to aiford an improved drain cover of the character described having novel supporting means which will not damage the drain pipe or Work loose under conditions of normal usage and irrespective of the weight loads and other shocks administered thereto.

An additional serious problem is encountered with the described customary drain pipe structures when it is attempted to cover the floor with tile, linoleum, or the like. At the outset, the covered fioor is of course raised 3,212,416 Patented Oct. 19, 1965 by the thickness of the floor covering above the level of the grate. Moreover, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, it is virtually impossible to achieve any kind of smooth union between the floor covering material and the grate. As a result, the covered floor is provided with a recess and a ragged or uneven edge therearound which soon results in chipping, tearing, or other damage to the floor covering.

It is therefore still a further object of the invention to provide an improved drain cover of the character described which forms a perfect and smooth union with any type of floor covering. A related object is to provide such a drain cover which does not require that the floor covering be accurately cut around the drain opening.

Yet another object is to afford an improved drain cover of the character described which overlies the floor and floor covering surrounding the drain opening so that the cover is supported primarily by the floor. A related object is to afford such a drain cover which nonetheless projects in smooth and extremely low relief above the floor level so as not to comprise an obstruction.

Yet a further object is to provide an improved drain cover of the character described having means for permitting the drainage therethrough of even the smallest amounts of liquids.

Another object is to afford an improved drain cover of the character described which is inexpensive to fabricate and yet is most durable, attractive and eflicient for the purposes intended.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, arrangement and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention, 1 have illustrated in the accompanying drawings, a preferred embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, my invention, its mode of construction, assembly and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding or similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a drain cover embodying the principles of the invention operationally positioned on a tile covered floor;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view thereof;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the removed drain cover; and

FIG. 5 is a top plan view thereof.

Referring now more particularly to the various figures of the drawings, it will be seen that the reference numeral 10 indicates generally an improved drain cover embodying the principles of the invention. The drain cover 10 comprises a plate or disc 12 provided with a plurality of drainage openings such as 14 and 16. Formed in the marginal edge 18 of the disc 12 is a plurality of elongated cut-outs or weep holes 20 whose function subsequently will be described. It is important to note, however, that the disc 12 is slightly convex in cross section so that the marginal edge 18 thereof is positioned below the remaining portions of the disc.

Depending from the disc 12 is a plurality of resilient fingers such as 22. Each of the fingers 22 comprises a substantially vertical segment which terminates in an outwardly crimped portion 24. As indicated in the embodiment illustrated, the resilient fingers 22 may be integrally formed with the disc 12 and merely struck therefrom to simultaneously atford the drainage openings 16. Likewise, the fingers 22 need not necessarily comprise eight in number as illustrated, it being necessary only that the same be properly spaced to cooperate with the drain pipe in which the same is to be inserted in a manner which will now be described.

Turning to FIG. 3 of the drawings, the cover 10 is shown operationally positioned over a typical cylindrical drain pipe such as P. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, the fingers 22 are arranged in complementary annular fashion, with the crimped portions 24 defining a circle of somewhat larger circumference than the inner circumference of the drain pipe P. To operationally position the cover 10 it is simply necessary to insert the resilient fingers 22 into the drain pipe to afford a firm but removable frictional fit. The disc 12 is then forced downwardly until the marginal edge 13 thereof bears against the floor F, or floor covering C, as indicated.

It is most important to note that the diameter of the disc 12 is substantially larger than the diameter of the drain pipe P. Thus, the disc overlies the areas of the floor F surrounding said drain pipe so that the entire drain cover is supported primarily by the floor. Due to the very slight convex configuration of the disc 12, the cover nonetheless does not provide an obstacle on the floor, and objects may be readily rolled or dragged thereover. The function of the weep holes 2% may now be appreciated, for they permit even minute quantities of liquids to drain therethrough when the level of such minute amounts of liquids is not suflicient to reach the drainage openings 14 or 16.

The described operational positioning and support of the cover 10 likewise permits the elimination of other of the problems previously referred to. Thus, as seen in FIG. 3, the drain pipe P may have its top edges flush with the floor F and it is no longer necessary to further out or trim the same. Similarly, accurate cutting or trimming of the floor covering C is no longer required. Thus, as seen in FIG. 4 of the drawings, the floor covering C may terminate in a ragged edge such as 26, and the disc 12 nonetheless overlies and covers the same to provide a smooth and attractive union therebetween.

From the foregoing description and drawings, it should be apparent Without further description that I have provided a novel drain cover which overcomes many of the problems heretofore associated with such devices. The combination of the coaction between the resilient fingers 22 and the drain pipe P, and the floor and overlying edges of the disc 12 provides a novel operational support which cannot injure the drain pipe or surrounding floor and yet is most sturdy and will not inadvertently come loose. The entire cover may be readily removed for purposes of cleaning and the like, at which time the fingers 22 may be manually sprung out further in the event that some of their original resiliency has been lost through wear.

It should of course be appreciated that while the drain cover 10 has been illustrated as being circular in shape for association with a circular drain opening, the same may likewise be made in any other configuration for decorative purposes or association with a rectangular drain pipe.

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction and assembly, and many of its advantages should be readily understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should also be manifest that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are nevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A floor drain of the character described comprising a cylindrical drain pipe set in a floor and terminating substantially flush therewith, a slightly convex circular disc removably covering said drain pipe, said disc being formed with a plurality of drainage openings, said disc being of larger diameter than said drain pipe and the marginal edge thereof engaging the top surface of said floor, a plurality of elongated weep holes formed in said marginal edge, and a plurality of resilient fingers struck from said disc and depending therefrom, each of said fingers terminating in a crimped portion, said crimped portions defining a circle and frictionally engaging the inner walls of said drain pipe.

2. A fioor drain comprising a cylindrical drain pipe set.

in a floor,

at least a portion of said drain pipe being vertically positioned and said portion terminating substantially flush with the top surface of said floor, a circular metal disc removably covering said drain P 1 said disc being of larger diameter than said drain pipe and the marginal edge thereof engaging the top surface of said floor, said disc comprising a single thickness of metal of slightly convex configuration and projecting above the top surface of said floor in low relief so that articles on said floor may be readily slidingly moved thereover, plurality of resilient depending finger struck from said disc and affording a plurality of drainage openings in said disc, each of said fingers terminating in an outwardly crimped portion, said crimped portions defining a circle and frictionally engaging the inner walls of said drain pipe, the marginal edge of said disc being formed with a plurality of elongated notches providing weep holes to permit drainage of extremely low lying liquids therethrough.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,999,277 4/35 BoOsey a- 210-163 2,152,285 3/39 Schirmer 2206O X 2,497,827 2/50 Trafton 2206O FOREIGN PATENTS 265,719 2/27 Great Britain.

CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner. JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Examiner, 

1. A FLOOR DRAIN OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL DRAIN PIPE SET IN A FLOOR AND TERMINATING SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH THEREWITH, A SLIGHTLY CONVEX CIRCULAR DISC REMOVABLY COVERING WITH DRAIN PIPE, SAID DISC BEING FORMED WITH A PLURALITY OF DRAINAGE OPENINGS, SAID DISC BEING OF LARGER DIAMETER THAN SAID DRAIN PIPE AND THE MARGINAL EDGE THEREOF ENGAGING THE TOP SURFACE OF SAID FLOOR, A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED WEEP HOLES FORMED IN SAID MARGINAL EDGE, AND A PLURALITY OF RESILIENT FINGERS STRUCK FROM SAID DISC AND DEPENDING THEREFROM, EACH OF SAID FINGERS TERMINATING IN A CRIMPED PORTION, SAID CRIMPED PORTIONS DEFINING A CIRCLE AND FRICTIONALLY ENGAGING THE INNER WALLS OF SAID DRAIN PIPE. 